Any thoughts on possible team changes for the trip to Hove?

Is there a case for recalling Mousley, Sheikh or Malik, and who would you omit?

I think I'd leave out Che and bring Rushworth back - I don't think the (pace) experiment has worked significantly enough. Rushworth had a decent performance in the 1st innings of the Seconds game against Glamorgan.
Ideally, I'd also leave out Kai, give the Captaincy to Latham and let Davies just think about opening and keeping wicket, but I can't see that happening. If they did it though, I'd love to see a second spinner (not just rely on Yates) - and bring in Mousley (now an all rounder, these days).

Hard to say at the moment, games a while away. Kookaburra again? Think any changes probably do come on the bowling side of things. Would think Bamber plays, Rocky plays you'd assume? OHD only has 9 wickets from 9 innings @ 45 (imagine if Craig Miles returned those figures?), you'd back him to come good eventually but does Rushworth come back in for him? Che, just don't know, he's the only one who has pace, goes at 5 an over though. Thought Taz was unlucky not to play v Somerset.

Latham as captain, isn't he away playing for NZ very soon? So we'd make him captain for 2 or 3 weeks then what? Is that ideal? He could keep though maybe...

Hove normally pretty flat and fast scoring. Warm weather forecast. Decent team Sussex, batting heavy and hard to beat.

Never been Hove before, can't wait.

Attendances have been awful at Edgbaston again. Pitch hasn’t helped.

I was told 600 Sunday and 400 Monday.

If we had enlightened leadership they’d take around the county but we don’t!

If a change of captancy was made, I'd suggest that Ed Barnard is the right person. He has the ability to run the side, has a good character, and he is not prone to, regularly, being dismissed by playing shots that are totally inappropriate to the game situation. Also, alongside Sam Hain, he is one of the first names on the team sheet for all games.

I feel his calmer, more mature attitude would provide better leadership and give a better example of how to succeed in the pro game than the current choice.

For the Sussex game, I'd keep Kai in the side, and keep the gloves. decide on one of Simmons, Taz Ali or Rushworth dependent on the conditions on the day. Also consider adding Mousley to the team in place of Yates, With Latham opening the batting, something he has effectively done in every game anyway. It also gives us a different style of offspinner, which will nicely compliment & Contrast with the style from Cory.

What I want to happen and what I think will happen are two separate things, only going to comment on want I think will happen... I don't think Bethell will be available given the timing of the England game so I think Mouse comes in for him. Also think there will be a change in bowling though what it will be have no idea. I presume Rushworth comes into the frame and perhaps Taz as well though can't assess for whom. Also don't think Yates or Davies will be replaced or the latter replaced as captain.

Highveld wrote:

If a change of captancy was made, I'd suggest that Ed Barnard is the right person. He has the ability to run the side, has a good character, and he is not prone to, regularly, being dismissed by playing shots that are totally inappropriate to the game situation. Also, alongside Sam Hain, he is one of the first names on the team sheet for all games.

I feel his calmer, more mature attitude would provide better leadership and give a better example of how to succeed in the pro game than the current choice.

For the Sussex game, I'd keep Kai in the side, and keep the gloves. decide on one of Simmons, Taz Ali or Rushworth dependent on the conditions on the day. Also consider adding Mousley to the team in place of Yates, With Latham opening the batting, something he has effectively done in every game anyway. It also gives us a different style of offspinner, which will nicely compliment & Contrast with the style from Cory.

I feel sorry for Simmons, he’s young and needs a clear role, and given a proper chance to succeed. He bowled 7th in 2nd innings. He’s not a 95mph blow them away bowler, he’s a bit faster than the rest of our bowlers. Don’t try use him like a Swiss Army knife that can plug every hole, just let him bowl line and length. Not all that different to Booth, who bowls far better when he’s just bowling line and length, instead of trying to blast teams away or bounce them out.

For me it’s between Simmons and Taz, and with Hove this time of year being a good batting track taking spin later in the game, I think it’s a good chance to give Taz Ali an opportunity in conditions that suit him.

Spin options of Yates, Ali, Rocky; seam of OHD, Bamber, Barnard.

Bethell is in the England squad for next week, so it's either Malik or Mousley for his place. It could end up being Malik, as from 4 July we have 6 VB games in 14 days so Mousley will probably be kept back for them.

If Rushworth is fit then i reckon he will replace Simmons. I would like to see Taz Ali selected but we rarely go with 2 front line spinners in the CC these days.

Rob Key has said that the players not picked to play the second test would be released to play the last 2 days of the CC.

So we could have Bethell but they would have Archer.

I really don’t like the idea of players coming in to play part games.

How does that even work? Let's take Mousley for example (assuming he plays and Bethell would come in for him), and he's not out overnight day 2, what happens then?

Not to mention the fact that a player gains far more experience from a full game than he would playing two days (max).

Agree Gerry that it's a bad idea.

Agree with all the points above. Mousley and Bethell would make sense to switch, but I can't help feeling Sussex get the better of the deal with a wound-up Archer to come in for half a game, off the leash.

I wonder if (assuming Bethell is left out of the England team) Warwickshire have been told they can play him for the last two days at Hove or that they will/must play him.
Regarding Archer, there are lots of conflicting reports as to whether he will play in this Test or be held back until the next.

Cueewnt championship averages

https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/county-championship-division-one-2025-16856?team=1479

A bit of an aside - but the fact that I will be going to Hove this week reminds me of my last visit which was way back in 1981. It was 21 July, which was a memorable day for English cricket (check it out!). I was reminded of the visit by the fact that the Test teams this week wore black arm bands in memory of Dilip Doshi. He played for Warwickshire in that match and the Bears' last wicket stand between him and Willie Hogg (another name from the past) ended when the two batters and a runner were all stranded at the same end. Never seen that before or since!

Seems a waste of a day to not start the game today seeing as no one has played since Wednesday. There is usually a Sunday start when there has been a T20 game on Friday but cannot see why the weekend cannot be used to its full capacity. Imagine a good crowd today and all the cold beer that Sussex could have sold as well as other food.

Still no squad or preview from the club. Total lack of communication. The club media operation has been getting progressively worse over the past few years since Tom Rawlings left. I hope the players remember there is a game on.

The squad (via Instagram)
Davies (c)
Taz Ali
Bamber
Barnard
Hain
Hannon-Dalby
Latham
Zen Malik
Mousley
Rocchiccioli
Rushworth
Simmons
Kai Smith
Yates.

KingofSpain wrote:

Still no squad or preview from the club. Total lack of communication. The club media operation has been getting progressively worse over the past few years since Tom Rawlings left. I hope the players remember there is a game on.

They have been unusually bad the past few weeks in particular.

I'm not sure exactly what is happening; but I think that Brigg Ford, who replaced the excellent Tom Rawlings, is also moving on.